Cylinder pair and cylinder of a printing unit of a rotary offset printing machine

ABSTRACT

A cylinder of a printing unit of a rotary offset printing machine has a periphery and an axial length. The peripheral surface of the cylinder is divided, in the axial length, into at least three sections that are positional next to one another. The peripheral surface has, in at least three sections, at least one slot-shaped opening. At least two of the sections each have two openings which are arranged offset with respect to each other about the periphery of the cylinder. The cylinder is intended for use in a cylinder pair including a 6/2 printing cylinder and an associated transfer cylinder.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. patent application is the U.S. National Phase, under 35 USC371, of PCT/DE2003/01845, filed Jun. 5, 2003; published as WO2004/002739 A1 on Jan. 8, 2004, and claiming priority to DE 102 28968.9, filed Jun. 26, 2002, the disclosures of which are expresslyincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a cylinder pair and to a cylinderof a printing group of a rotary offset printing press. The cylinder pairconsists of a forme cylinder and a transfer cylinder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A printing group of a rotary printing press having at least one transfercylinder and at least one forme cylinder is known from WO 01/39977 A1.The transfer cylinder has a groove for receiving either one or severalprinting blankets, and the forme cylinder has at least two grooves,which are arranged one behind the other in the circumferentialdirection, for receiving one or several printing formes. At least one ofthe grooves of the forme cylinder is at least partially covered by aprinting forme. That at least partially covered groove of the formecylinder rolls off on the area of the groove of the cooperating transfercylinder intended for receiving one or several printing blankets. Theends of the printing formes can be arranged, offset with respect to eachother, in different grooves, or the forme cylinder can have at least twoprinting formes arranged side-by-side in the axial direction, or canhave several printing formes arranged one behind the other in thecircumferential direction. In the case of several printing formesarranged over the entire circumference, these can also be arranged withtheir ends alternatingly arranged offset with respect to each other.

DE 22 20 652 A1 describes a device for fastening flexible printingplates on the plate cylinder of a rotary printing press. The device hasa pair of bracing-clamping cheeks, which are arranged on the same shaftand which are arranged in a cylinder groove in the cylinder body, andare pivotable around a shaft that is extending parallel with thecylinder axis over the entire length of the cylinder. A bracing-clampingcheek pair consists of a bracing cheek and a clamping cheek, wherein thebracing cheek, as well as the clamping cheek working together with it,are seated, pivotable around a shaft which is parallel with the axis andwhich can be actuated from the front end of the cylinder. In thepreferred embodiment described, four bracing-clamping cheek pairs arealternatingly arranged, once on one half of the cylinder length andagain on the other half of the cylinder length. To adapt this priordevice to printing plates of different format widths, a shortbracing-clamping cheek pair is arranged as an extension element betweentwo adjoining bracing-clamping cheek pairs in such a way that it can beconnected in the cylinder body with the adjacent bracing-clamping cheekpairs and thus can be pivoted in the same way as the bracing-clampingcheek pairs. Two coaxially arranged connecting shafts are provided ineach cylinder groove, which shafts can be rigidly connected with abracing-clamping cheek pair, that is arranged in one half of thecylinder length, and which shafts permit a torque to be transmitted fromthe front end, which is a part of the other half of the cylinder, to thebracing-clamping cheek pair which is connected with the connectingshafts. Accordingly, the connecting shafts are pivotably seated in thecylinder groove in the same way as are the bracing-clamping cheek pairconnected with them.

A cylinder pair of a rotary printing press, with a 6/2 plate cylinderand with a printing blanket cylinder, is known from DE 25 28 008 A1. Acenter set of printing plates is arranged on the plate cylinder and isdeliberately offset, at an angle other than 90°, from the two outer setsof printing plates positioned at the ends of the plate cylinder. Thecenter printing blanket on the printing blanket cylinder is arrangeddeliberately offset at an angle other than 90° from the outer sets ofprinting blankets at the ends of the blanket cylinder. The ends of thedressings which are not angled off and which rest on the respectivecylinder, are held by holding devices which are movable in wide cylindergrooves. Ends of dressings, which ends face each other, form a gapbetween themselves, which gap extends over the width of these dressings.

A device for bracing and/or for clamping flexible plates with angled-offsuspension legs, which legs project into a fastening slit of a cylinderused for supporting the plates, is known from DE 199 24 786 A1. Thefastening slit is connected with an axis-parallel cylinder groove in thecylinder radial direction. A base body, which is open in the directiontoward the fastening slit, is arranged in the cylinder groove. Movablebracing and/or clamping elements are provided in the interior of thebase body. The base body can consist of several shorter base bodies,which can be coupled together. The base body or bodies, arranged in arow in the cylinder groove, are connected with each other, fixed againstrelative rotation, by, for example, a tooth arrangement. A first and alast base body are each connected, fixed against relative rotation, withan end coupling element, whose parts which cover the cylinder groove arefastened on the flanks of the cylinder, for example by the use ofscrews.

A cylinder of a web-fed rotary printing press is known from DE 199 01574 A1. A shell of the cylinder is divided, over its length, intoadjoining sections, and an opening is provided in each section. Thistype of construction of a cylinder is not suitable for use in arrangingseveral dressings on the shell of the cylinder along its circumference.

Such a cylinder of single circumference is also known from JP 10-071 694A. The forme cylinder and the transfer cylinder are arranged in theprinting group in such a way that an opened section of the formecylinder rolls off on a closed section of the transfer cylinder, andvice versa.

A printing group cylinder, with a groove with alternatingly opened andclosed areas arranged on the shell, is known from DE 198 54 495 A1.Tongues of a printing forme to be mounted on the printing group cylinderextend into the opened areas.

A cylinder for printing presses is known from DE 696 04 065 T2. Agroove, which is open toward the shell, is closed by an insertion piece,which terminates flush with the shell.

A cylinder of single circumference for printing presses is known from CH345 906 A. Four dressings are arranged, side-by-side, on the cylinder inits axial direction. Each of the dressings is fastened in a bracinggroove which is open toward the shell of the cylinder. The bracinggrooves of adjacent dressings are arranged offset in respect to eachother along the circumference of the cylinder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is directed to providing a cylinderpair, or to providing a cylinder of a printing group of a rotary offsetprinting press.

The object is attained in accordance with the invention by the provisionof a cylinder pair of a printing group of a rotary offset printing pressincluding a forme cylinder and a transfer cylinder. Both of thesecylinders are divided, in their axial length, into sections and bothcylinders are provided with axially extending, dressing end receivinggrooves.

The advantages which are attainable in accordance with the presentinvention consist, in particular, in that openings in the shell of thecylinder are provided only where they are required for holding thedressings. This reduces the danger of a break of one of the dressings,in the course of these dressings rolling off against a cylinder againstwhich they are placed. At the same time, the effects of the groove beat,generated by the cylinder grooves, are reduced by the offset arrangementof the grooves. These steps contribute to the provision of quiet runningand of reduced vibrations, in particular in connection with cylinders ofgreat length. These steps therefore also result in an improvement to theprint quality. In sections of the grooves, which sections are closedagainst the shell of the cylinders, it is possible to arrange low-costfiller elements, without holding assemblies for the dressings, in amounting-friendly manner. In this case, the filler elements can beproduced in almost every desired length. Since through-bores, with therequired accuracy, can be provided in cylinders of great length only atgreat expense, in one preferred embodiment variation of the presentinvention, the cylinders have at least one blind bore extendingunderneath an outer closed section in the axial direction of thecylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are represented in thedrawings and will be described in greater detail in what follows.

Shown are in:

FIG. 1, a perspective plan view of a cylinder with two grooves and withfour, side-by-side arranged, dressings in accordance with the presentinvention, in

FIG. 2, a simplified schematic representation of a printing group with a6/2 forme cylinder and a transfer cylinder, both of singlecircumference, in

FIG. 3, a perspective plan view of a dressing, in

FIG. 4, a partial sectional representation of a cylinder with a grooveand with a device for fastening a dressing on a cylinder arranged in thegroove, in

FIG. 5, a planar projection of four dressings arranged side-by-sideoffset from each other on a cylinder, and in

FIG. 6, a simplified perspective plan view of a base body or a fillerelement in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A cylinder 01 of a rotary printing press, and in particular a cylinder01 of a rotary offset printing press, is represented by way of examplein FIG. 1. This cylinder 01 can be configured and used as a formecylinder 01 a or as a transfer cylinder 01 b, as seen in FIG. 2, and canbe covered, in a circumferential direction of the cylinder 01, with onedressing, for example, and axially, i.e. with respect to a cylinderlength L, with four dressings 02 a, 02 b, 02 c, 02 d, for example, sothat four upright or horizontal dressings are located on the cylinder01, as is seen in FIG. 5.

In connection with the use of cylinder 01 as a forme cylinder, thedressings are preferably configured as plate-shaped printing formes. Inconnection with the use of cylinder 01 as a transfer cylinder, thedressings are preferably configured as rubber printing blankets that areeach applied to a support plate, i.e. the dressings for the transfercylinder are preferably embodied as a metal backed, rubber surfacedprinting blanket.

The printing group depicted in FIG. 2 can be configured, for example, aspart of a six-cylinder satellite printing group, wherein four cylinderpairs, each cylinder pair consisting of a forme cylinder 01 a and of atransfer cylinder 01 b, are arranged in a frame, preferably in separatecylinder pairs, and positioned diametrically around a commoncounter-pressure cylinder in a preferably identical distribution, sothat forces acting when the cylinder pairs are placed against thecounter-pressure cylinder are mutually supported. The forme cylinders 01a and the transfer cylinders 01 b each have the characteristics directedto the attainment of the object proposed for the present invention. Thecounter-pressure cylinder, which is not specifically depicted,preferably has a smooth, i.e. closed, outer shell without openings.

Arrangements of cylinder pairs are advantageous, particular fornewspaper printing, as shown in FIG. 2, wherein a forme cylinder 01 a iscovered, in its axial direction, in a first semi-circumferential rowwith, for example, six plate-shaped printing formes 02 a, 02 b, 02 c, 02d, 02 e, 02 f and, as only schematically depicted in FIG. 2, with asecond semi-circumferential row, on the side of the forme cylinder 01 awhich cannot be seen in the representation of FIG. 2, with a further sixplate-shaped printing forms 02 g, 02 h, 02 i, 02 j, 02 k, 021, so thatthe forme cylinder 02 a has along its length groups of two plate-shapedprinting formes one behind the other around its circumference. Six suchgroups or pairs are shown in FIG. 2. Such a forme cylinder 02 a rollsoff on or against a transfer cylinder 01 b which, for example, iscovered axially with three side-by-side arranged rubber printingblankets 02 m, 02 n, 02 o. Each one of these rubber printing blanket 02m, 02 n, 02 o essentially extends around the entire circumference of thetransfer cylinder 01 b. In this example depicted in FIG. 2, the rubberprinting blankets 02 m, 02 n, 02 o each have twice the width and twicethe length of the respective ones of the plate-shaped printing formes 02a to 02 i. The forme cylinder 01 a, which is, for example, covered witha total of twelve plate-shaped printing formes 02 a to 02 i, and thetransfer cylinder 01 b which is, for example, covered by a total ofthree rubber printing blankets 02 m, 02 n, 02 o, here preferably bothhave the same geometric dimensions with respect to the lengths L oftheir barrels and their circumferences. The plate-shaped printing formes02 a to 02 i each have leading and trailing ends 03, 04 which ends arefastened on the forme cylinder 01 a in two plate end receiving grooves11, 12, which grooves 11, 12 are offset by 180° about the circumferenceof cylinder 01 a, for example. The respective ends 03, 04 of the rubberprinting blankets 02 m, 02 n, 02 o are held in at least one groove 11′of the transfer cylinder 01 b, as seen in FIG. 2. The forme cylinder 01a and the transfer cylinder 01 b are arranged in the printing group insuch a way that their respective grooves roll off on each other, as isalso shown in FIG. 2. To complete the picture, it should be noted herethat the forme cylinder 01 a can also be covered with dressings whichare configured as a panorama printing plate, so that each plate-shapedprinting forme contains two print image pages. In this case, thereference symbols 02 a to 02 i shown in FIG. 2 for the dressings relateto the print image pages, wherein the print image pages 02 a, 02 b, or02 c, 02 d, or 02 e, 02 f, or 02 g, 02 h, or 02 i, 02 j, or 02 k, 02 lare respectively both arranged on one panorama printing plate. Eachprint image page can more typically correspond to a single newspaperpage, for example. An arrangement of six such newspaper pages, placedside-by-side in the axial direction of the forme cylinder 01 a, isadvantageous.

If now, as will be described subsequently, dressings are arranged offsetwith respect to each other in the circumferential direction of thecylinder, in the case where panorama plates are being employed, thismeans that not the individual print pages, but the panorama plates to befastened on a shell or circumferential surface 13 of the cylinder 01 a,each such panorama plate consisting of two print pages, are arrangedoffset with respect to each other. To make possible such an offsetarrangement of dressings, in a cylinder that is configured with twoaxially extending, circumferentially spaced grooves, the individualpanoramic dressings must either each extend completely around thecircumference, wherein both ends of the same dressing are fastened inthe same groove, and wherein the ends of an adjoining dressing arefastened in the other groove. Alternatively, more than two grooves willbe provided in the cylinder, for example four such grooves may beprovided and are each arranged offset circumferentially by 90° withrespect to each other, so that respectively two dressings can bearranged one behind the other in respect to the cylinder circumference,for example, and wherein the ends of each dressing are fastened in twodifferent grooves, each offset by 180°, and adjoining dressings arefastened in two other grooves which are offset by 90° in respect to thefirst two grooves.

The cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b has a diameter D1 of, for example 160 mm to340 mm, and preferably of between 280 mm and 300 mm. The axial length Lof the barrel of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b lies in the range ofbetween 1200 mm and 2400 mm, for example, and preferably of between 1900mm and 2300 mm, as depicted in FIG. 1. A plate-shaped printing forme, ora support plate for a rubber printing blanket, as seen in FIG. 3, as arule, consists of a flexible, but an otherwise dimensionally stablematerial, such as, for example, an aluminum alloy, and has twooppositely located ends 03, 04, which are to be fastened in or on thecylinders 01, 01 a, 01 b. The plate ends 03, 04 have a materialthickness M of, for example, between 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm, and preferably of0.3 mm. To form suitable plate end suspension legs 06, 07, each of theseplate ends 03, 04 is angled off about a bending line 08, 09, and withrespect to a plane of the extended length l of the dressings 02 a to 02o, at an angle α, β of between 40° and 140°, and preferably of 45°, 90°or 135°, as seen in FIG. 3. If only a single dressing 02 m to 02 o hasbeen applied, in the circumferential direction of the cylinder 01 b, thelength l of the dressing 02 m to 02 o approximately corresponds to thelength of the circumference of the cylinder 01 b.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which isrepresented in FIG. 1, and on which the following explanation of theinvention is based, without being limited to this embodiment, a firstgroove 11 and a second groove 12 are provided in the cylinder 01,wherein both grooves 11, 12 extend continuously in the direction of thelength L of the cylinder 01. These two grooves 11, 12 are arrangedoffset with respect to each other in the direction of the circumferenceof the cylinder 01, for example are offset at a distance defined by anarc of a circle extending over 180°. To avoid an error in balance of thecylinder 01, which is rotating in the printing group, it is advantageousto arrange the grooves 11, 12 in an equidistant manner about thecylinder 01, i.e. at identical distances from each other. A variation ofthe arrangement of the present invention, with continuous grooves asrepresented in FIG. 1, consists in that at least one of the grooves 11,12 only extends over a part of the entire length L of the cylinders 01.This partial section having a partial groove need not necessarily bearranged at the edge of the circumferential shell 13 of the cylinder 01.Instead, it can also be located between the ends of the cylinder 01along the interior length of the circumferential shell 13 of thecylinder 01. For reasons of manufacturing technology and for practicalreasons, however, it is advantageous to connect a partial groove 11, 12which is extending only over a part of the length L of the cylinder 01,also with an end face of the cylinder 01, so that the non-continuousgroove 11, 12 extends under a section of the cylinder circumferencewhich is closed toward the circumferential shell of the cylinder. If, inthe example of a 6/2 forme cylinder 01 a, such as is represented in FIG.2, the grooves 11, 12 have an opening 14, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5,leading to the grooves 11, 12 in the circumferential shell 13, forexample in the interior section B, in which the dressings 02 c, 02 d, 02i, 02 j are fastened, the grooves 11, 12 can pass either through thesection A or C to a front end or end face of the forme cylinder 01 a. Inthis case, the grooves 11, 12 are configured as blind bores, which areopen at a front or end face of the cylinder 01 a, 01 b, and areprovided, for example, for mounting a holding device for the dressings,and which extend over one or two adjoining sections A, B, C of thecylinder 01 a, 01 b. The mentioned sections A, B, C will be discussed ingreater detail in what follows. The width of each of the sections A, B,C, extending in the axial direction of the cylinder 01 a, 01 b ispreferably defined by the width of the corresponding one of thedressings 02 m, 02 n, 02 o on the transfer cylinder 01 b.

Both grooves 11, 12 are embodied in the interior of the cylinder 01 at aradial depth “a” of, for example from 4 mm to 10 mm, and preferably of 6mm, under the shell 13 of the latter in the form of a preferablycircular bore through the cylinder 01, and each groove 11, 12 has adiameter of, for example from 25 mm to 50 mm, and preferably of 30 mm.The ratio of the diameters D1, D2 of the cylinder 01 and of the groove11, 12 therefor is preferably 10:1. If the cross-sectional shape of thegrooves 11, 12 is not circular, a ratio of the cross-sectional surfacesof the cylinder 01 and of one of the grooves 11, 12 is preferably 100:1,so that the cross-sectional surface of the grooves 11, 12 iscomparatively small in respect to that of the cylinder 01.

In the configuration represented in FIG. 1, both grooves 11, 12 havebeen divided, in their longitudinal direction, in as many sections A, B,C, D as there are dressings 02 a, 02 b, 02 c, 02 d which can be arrangedside-by-side on the shell 13 of the cylinder 01. The division of theshell 13 into sections corresponds to that of the grooves 11, 12. Insome of their sections A, B, C, D, the grooves 11, 12 each may have anarrow, slit-shaped opening 14 extending to the circumferential shell 13of the cylinder 01, as shown in FIG. 4[5. It is advantageous if, withrespect to the same section A, B, C, D, a groove 11, that is providedwith an opening 14, alternates, in the circumferential direction of thecylinder 01, with a groove 12 which is closed toward the shell 13 of thecylinder 11. In this way, an alternating arrangement of openings 14 inthe sections A, B, C, D, in relation to the grooves 11, 12 results inthe circumferential direction, as well as in the axial direction of thecylinder 01.

A slit width S of the opening 14 is less than 5 mm and preferably lieswithin the range of 1 mm to 3 mm, as is also shown in FIG. 4.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, in this preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the number of the sections A, B, C, D, which are arrangedside-by-side in the longitudinal direction in each groove 11, 12 andwhich are provided with an opening 14, corresponds to one half of thedressings 02 a, 02 b, 02 c, 02 d, which are arranged circumferentiallyoffset, in respect to each other, over the length L of the cylinder 01.If the shell 13 of the cylinder 01 is covered with more than oneside-by-side dressing in the circumferential direction, more than twogrooves or partial areas of grooves, each distanced on a defined arc ofa circle, are provided, and complex cover arrangements result on theshell 13 of the cylinder 01 because of the larger number of dressings.

In this depicted embodiment, for the sake of simplicity, the number ofthe dressings 02 a, 02 b, 02 c, 02 d and of the sections A, B, C, D wasselected as being four each, and wherein each cylinder section A, B, C,D has ¼ the length L of the cylinder 01. As indicated in FIG. 5, in adeveloped representation of the shell 13 of the cylinder 01, all of thefour dressings 02 a, 02 b, 02 c, 02 d positioned on the shell 13 of thecylinder 01, are arranged side-by-side in the axial direction, and thetwo axially spaced dressings 2 b and 02 d are arranged offset, withrespect to the two axially spaced dressings 2 a and 2 c in such a waythat these dressings 02 b and 02 d cover the sections B and D of thegroove 12, while the dressings 2 a and 2 c cover the sections A and C ofthe groove 11. The groove 11 has an opening 14 to the circumferentialshell 13 of the cylinder 01 only in sections B and D, while the groove12 has an appropriate openings 14 to the circumferential shell in eachof the sections A and C. In this example, the dressings 02 a, 02 b, 02c, 02 d each enclose the entire circumference of the cylinder 01.Therefore both of the ends 03, 04 of the dressings 02 a, 02 c arefastened in the same groove 12, while both of the ends 03, 04 of thedressings 02 b, 02 d are fastened in the other groove 11. Thus, eachdressing 02 a, 02 b, 02 c, 02 d covers one of the two grooves 11, 12 ineach section A, B, C, D, while it is fastened with its two ends 03, 04in the other one of the two grooves 11, 12. In this embodiment, eachsection with an opening 14 adjoins a section that is closed toward theshell 13 of the cylinder 01 with respect to a line that is extendingobliquely through all cylinder sections A, B, C, D and on the shell 13of the cylinder 01, parallel with a groove 11, 12, and whose position ispredetermined by the position of a groove 11, 12. The openings 14 cutinto the shell 13 of the cylinder 01 are aligned with each other alongthis line.

The suspension legs 06, 07 formed at the ends 03, 04 of each dressings02 a to 02 o are inserted into the respective opening 14. It isadvantageous to suspend one suspension leg 06 of each dressings 02 a to02 o positively connected with a first wall 17 of the opening 14, asseen in FIG. 5, wherein this first wall 17 extends from an outer orcircumferential edge 16 of the opening 14, and which first wall 17leads, in the production direction P of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b,toward the interior of the groove 11′, 11, 12. An angle α formed at anend 03 of the dressings 02 a to 02 o preferably corresponds to an angleα resulting between this first wall 17 extending toward the interior ofthe groove 11′, 11, 12 and an imagined tangent line T resting on theopening 14, again as depicted in FIG. 5. The other suspension leg 07 ofeach dressing 02 a to 02 o can also be placed against a second wall 19of the opening 14. This second wall 19 extends from an outer orcircumferential edge 18 of the opening 14, which trails the edge 16 inthe production direction P of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b toward theinterior of the groove 11′, 11, 12. Again, an angle β formed on an end04 of the dressing 02 a to 02 o advantageously corresponds to an angle βwhich results between this second wall 19 extending toward the interiorof the groove 11′, 11, 12 and an imagined tangent line T resting on theopening 14, as depicted in FIG. 3. and in FIG. 4.

As represented in FIG. 4, a holding device is provided for fastening thedressings 02 a to 02 o on the circumferential shell 13 of the cylinder01, 01 a, 01 b in those sections A, B, C, D of the groove 11′, 11, 12,which have an opening 14 toward the circumferential shell 13. Theholding device consists, for example, of at least a holding means 21, inthe form of, for example, a clamping element 21 and of a spring element22. The suspension leg 07, shown in FIG. 03 at the trailing end 04 ofthe dressings 02 a to 02 o, and which is suspended in the opening 14, ispreferably placed against the second wall 19 of the opening 14 and ispressed against this second wall 19 by the clamping element 21 with aforce F which is exerted by the spring element 22 on the clampingelement 21. An actuating device 23 is provided in the groove 11′, 11, 12for use in releasing the clamping element 21 which actuating device 23,when actuated, counteracts the force F exerted by the spring element 22on the clamping element 21 and pivots the clamping element 21 away fromthe second wall 19 of the opening 14.

To facilitate easier mounting of the above-described holding device inthe groove 11′, 11, 12, the holding device, which preferably consists ofa clamping element 21 and a spring element 22, is arranged in a basebody 24. This base body 24 is preferably embodied substantially in theform of a cylindrical hollow body, whose exterior diameter is slightlyless than a diameter D2 of a groove 11′, 11, 12, and which base body 24is supported in the groove 11′; 11, 12 by its shape, and wherein theclamping element 21 is pivotably seated in the interior of, or on thebottom 27 of this base body 24. It is advantageous to combine thesupport of the base body 24 in the groove 11′, 11, 12 with a securingdevice to counteract any torsion of the base body 24. For example, astop may be formed on the base body 24, which stop is supported, forexample, in the groove 11′, 11, 12, or against one of the walls 17, 19extending to the edges 16, 18 of the opening 14. Due to the considerablelength of the sections A, B, C, D, each of which varies, in its size, asa function of the length L of the barrel of the respective cylinder 01,01 a, 01 b, and to easier matching to each position required for them,the base body 24 required for each section A, B, C, D is configured notin one piece, but instead the base body 24 is produced in the form of apartial element, which is short in comparison with the lengths of thesections A, B, C, D, of a length l1. Several identical base bodies 24are then lined up in the groove 11′, 11, 12 for the required length ofthe sections A, B, C, D. Each base body 24 can be provided, at its frontend, with a groove-and-tongue connection 28, 29, or with a plugconnection to facilitate positive connection. The length l1 of the basebody 24, produced as a partial element, can be between 30 mm and 100 mm,for example, and preferably is 60 mm, as seen in FIG. 6.

In the sections A, B, C, D of the cylinder 01, in which no holdingdevice for fastening a suspension leg 06, 07 of one of the dressings 02a to 02 o is needed, typically in the sections A, B, C, D without anopening 14, the introduction of a base body 24 provided with a holdingdevice into the groove 11′, 11, 12 is neither required nor efficient.Filler elements 26, as shown in FIG. 6, are provided for these sectionsA, B, C, D, and whose outer contours can be similar to the outercontours of the base bodies 24. However, the filler elements 26 do nothave a holding device in their interior and are therefore morecost-effective. The filler elements 26 are also preferably embodied ascomparatively short partial elements, with respect to the length of thesections A, B, C, D, and of a length l2. The length l2, which istypically the same as a length l1 of the base bodies 24, lies between 30mm and 100 mm, and can preferably be 60 mm. In this way, groups ofapproximately five to six base bodies 24 or five to six filler elements26 are preferably arranged in each section A, B, C, D of a groove 11′,11, 12, and wherein these groups are also arranged in an alternatingmanner.

It is advantageous to configure the filler elements 26 in such a waythat they can be shortened in a simple processing step, such as, forexample, by cutting or sawing, to any desired length. The base bodies24, as well as the filler elements 26, are preferably made of a plasticmaterial in the form of an injection-molded element, or of anothersuitable material, which is easy to work. It is intended to positionlined-up filler elements 26 in the grooves 11, 12 of all those sectionsA, B, C, D of cylinder 01 which are closed, i.e. in grooves 11, 12 whichhave no opening 14 toward the shell 13 of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b.To accomplish the connection of individual filler elements 26 with eachother, or to connect respectively first or last filler elements 26, in arow of several filler elements 26, with a base body 24 arranged in thesame groove 11, 12, the filler elements 26 can have the samegroove-and-tongue connection 28, 29, or plug connection, at their endfaces 32 as are provided on the base bodies 24. To keep the fillerelement 26 functional with respect to its connectability with otherfiller elements 26 or with other base bodies 24, following a shorteningof its length l2, the groove 28, which is cut into each filler element26 and of a length l3, extends over a large portion of the overalllength l2 of the filler element 26. The groove length l3 can be up to70% of the overall length l2.

A hose, which can be preferably charged with a pressure medium, such as,for example, compressed air, and which can advantageously be placed intothe groove 11′, 11, 12 continuously from one end face of the cylinder01, 01 a, 01 b to the other cylinder end face, is provided as theactuating device 23 for the holding device in the base bodies 24. Thehose, which forms the actuating device 23, is preferably placed in alocation where a clamping element 21 must be actuated. Thus, theactuating device 23 for the holding device can preferably be actuated byremote control, in particular pneumatically, so that the holding devicechanges from a closed operating position, in which it holds at least oneend 03, 04 of one of the dressings 02 a to 02 f, 02 g to 02 m, 02 n, 02o, as shown in FIG. 4 into an open operating position.

It is advantageous to also configure the filler elements 26 assubstantially cylindrical hollow bodies. With this configuration, thebase bodies 24, as well as the filler elements 26, have a through-hole31, through which the hose 23 can be conducted in a line-up of the baseelements 24 and the filler elements 26 in the same groove 11, 12. If thethrough-hole 31 is situated off-centered in the base bodies 24 and thefiller bodies 26, or is asymmetrically located in respect to a line Syextending through their respective centers O, and wherein the center Oand the line Sy extending through it are located in the samecross-sectional plane X-X, because of its arrangement or shape, thegroove-and-tongue connection 28, 29 or the not depicted plug connectioncan be used for aligning the through-hole 31 of the base bodies 24 aswell as of the filler elements 26 flush with each other, as well as withrespect to each other. If the base bodies 24 are arranged, each againstrelative rotation, in the groove 11, 12, a sufficient protection againsttwisting of the filler elements 26 is also accomplished because of thepositive connection of all of the base bodies 24 arranged in the samegroove 11, 12. If necessary, the same protection against twisting, as isprovided on the base bodies 24, can be formed on the filler elements 26An actuating device 23, such as the depicted hose, and arrangedcontinuously extending from the one to the other end of the cylinder 01,01 a, 01 b permits the simultaneous and mutual actuation of the holdingdevice in several base bodies 24, which are arranged in the same groove11′, 11, 12. It is advantageous to insure that at least all of theholding devices, which are arranged in the same section of the pluralsections A, B, C, D of a groove 11′, 11, 12, can be actuatedsimultaneously together. This embodiment results in holding devicesarranged in different sections A, B, C, D to be actuatedsection-by-section. These holding devices in each section thereforemaintain their own open operating position or their own closed operatingposition independently of each other. It is thus possible to maintain orto release dressings 02 a to 02 o in different sections A, B, C, Dindividually and independently of each other.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least theactuating device 23 is configured designed] as a spindle, for example asan eccentric spindle, that is arranged in the groove 11′, 11, 12. Ifnecessary, a clamping element 21 can be formed directly on the spindle,or can be connected with it. By application of a torque acting on thespindle from the direction of an end of the cylinder 01 a, 01 b, one orseveral of the holding devices can be actuated in the grooves 11′, 11,12. For example, a spindle can extend from an end face of the cylinder01 a, 01 b in the groove 11′, 11, 12 through a section A or C, which, asshown in FIG. 2, is arranged at the edge or end of the cylinder 01, 01a, 01 b, which does not have an opening 14 extending toward thecircumferential shell 13 of the respective cylinder 11′, 11, 12 andwhich has a holding device in the section B which, in the respectivegroove 11′, 11, 12 has an opening 14 toward the shell 13 of the cylinder01 a, 01 b. In this section B, the groove 11′, 11, 12, that isconfigured as a blind bore, as well as the actuating device 23, or thespindle, terminate in this groove 11′, 11, 12. It can also be providedthat in the same groove 11′, 11, 12, for example in the sections A andC, individual spindles can be inserted, which individual spindles caneach be actuated from the end face of the cylinder 01 a, 01 b. Thesesections A, C each have an opening 14 toward the shell 13 of thecylinder 01 a, 01 b. Neither an opening 14 nor a groove 11′, 11, 12, oran actuating device 23, or a spindle, are provided in section B. In caseof a cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b with more than three sections A, B, C inits axial direction, a groove 11′, 11, 12, which is embodied as a blindbore, can also tunnel underneath a section B, C, which does not liedirectly at an edge of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b and which is closedtoward the shell 13.

Regardless of how the groove 11′, or the grooves 11, 12, in thecylinders 01, 01 a, 01 b are structured, whether they extendcontinuously from one to the other end face of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01b, or whether they are embodied as partial elements in the respectivesections A, B, C, D, in accordance with the attainment of the object ofthe present invention, it is sufficient for a cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b,having a circumference U, as well as having a length L, and wherein theshell 13 of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b is divided into at least threeadjoining sections A, B, C over the length L, that the shell 13 in eachof at least three sections A, B, C has a slit-shaped opening 14 andwherein, in relation to the circumference U of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01b, at least two openings 14 of a section A, B, C, D, are arranged offsetwith respect to the openings 14 of another section A, B, C, D. In thiscase, preferably two openings 14, which are arranged in two differentsections A, B, C, D, are aligned with each other. Here, every opening 14opens into at least a partial element of a groove 11′, 11, 12 extendingunderneath the shell 13 of the cylinder 01, 01 a, 01 b.

A printing group of a rotary offset printing press, and using a cylinder01, 01 a, 01 b in accordance with the present invention, results, forexample, in the printing group having at least one forme cylinder 01 arolling off on a transfer cylinder 01 b, wherein the forme cylinder 01 ahas at least two dressings 02 a to 02 l axially, as well as around itscircumference U, for example, and the transfer cylinder 1 b has at leasttwo dressings 02 m to 02 o axially, for example, and wherein at leasttwo of the dressings 02 a to 02 l arranged along its circumference U arearranged offset with respect to each other. In this case, the formecylinder 01 a preferably has at least four dressings 02 a to 02 larranged side-by-side axially, and wherein the at least four dressings02 a to 02 l are arranged offset, in pairs, in the axial direction ofthe forme cylinder 01 a. The forme cylinder 01 a can, in particular,have six dressings 02 a to 02 l, which are arranged offset with respectto each other, in pairs, in the axial direction of the forme cylinder 01a. In a printing group of this type, the dressings 02 m to 02 o of thetransfer cylinder 01 b are preferably as long, measured along thetransfer cylinder 01 b circumference U, as two dressings 02 a to 02 l ofthe forme cylinder 01 a, measured along that cylinder circumference, sothat a forme cylinder 01 a of double circumference and asingle-circumference transfer cylinder 1 b work together with each otherand roll off on each other.

As previously described, it is of advantage to configure this printinggroup as a 9-cylinder satellite printing unit. In a printing grouphaving cylinders of great length, for example of a length of up to 2400mm, wherein the printing group has a forme cylinder which preferablyprints six newspaper pages side-by-side in its axial direction and alsohas a transfer cylinder of corresponding length working together withthe forme cylinder, there is a considerable tendency, in particular athigh rotary speeds, toward interfering cylinder bending fluctuations,which negatively affect the print quality and which are even increasedby the groove or channel beat between the forme cylinder and thetransfer cylinder. It is therefore advantageous to employ such cylindersof great length particularly in a 9-cylinder satellite printing unit.Every transfer cylinder in such a 9-cylinder satellite printing unit canbe supported by a central counter-pressure cylinder. Thecounter-pressure cylinder is, in turn, supported by a second transfercylinder, which is arranged diametrically opposite with respect to thefirst transfer cylinder. Customarily, the counter-pressure cylinder hasa smooth closed shell, which closed shell completely supports thetransfer cylinder on its surface. This arrangement, together with thegroove beat-reducing offset of the center rubber printing blanket withrespect to the two outer rubber printing blankets, assures a high degreeof reduced vibrations, of quiet running, and therefore of high printquality. Thus, the advantage to be gained by the present inventionconsists, in particular, in that it is possible to configure avibration-reduced printing group even in connection with cylinders ofgreat length, and in which steps taken in connection with the cylindercan be advantageously realized by manufacturing technology.

While preferred embodiments of a cylinder pair and cylinders of aprinting unit of a rotary offset printing machine, in accordance withthe present invention, have been set forth fully and completelyhereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that changesin, for example, drives for the cylinders, a source of air underpressure, and the like could be made without departing from the truespirit and scope of the present invention which is accordingly to belimited only by the appended claims.

1-40. (canceled)
 41. A cylinder pair of a printing group of a rotaryoffset printing press comprising: a forme cylinder having a formecylinder axial length in an axial direction of said forme cylinder and aforme cylinder circumferential shell having a forme cylindercircumferential length, said forme cylinder being divided along saidforme cylinder axial length into a plurality of forme cylinder sections;a transfer cylinder having a transfer cylinder axial length in an axialdirection of said transfer cylinder and a transfer cylindercircumferential shell having a transfer cylinder circumferential length,said transfer cylinder being divided along said transfer cylinder axiallength into a plurality of transfer cylinder sections; at least oneprinting forme on each of said forme cylinder sections; at least oneprinting blanket on each of said blanket cylinder sections; a pluralityof axially extending grooves beneath said shell surfaces of said formecylinder and said blanket cylinder; a least one printing forme endreceiving opening for each said printing forme on said forme cylindershell and terminating in one of said forme cylinder grooves; at leastone printing blanket end receiving opening for each said printingblanket on said transfer cylinder shell and terminating in one of saidblanket cylinder grooves, at least one of said forme cylinder openingsrolling off on one of said transfer cylinder openings, all of said formecylinder openings following each other in said axial direction of saidforme cylinder being aligned; at least three said printing blanketsaligned side by side axially on said transfer cylinder in said transfercylinder axial direction, each said printing blanket having acircumferential length of said transfer cylinder circumferential shell;a number of said printing formes aligned axially on said forme cylinderand at least equal to said number of printing blankets aligned axiallyon said blanket cylinder, each said printing forme having acircumferential length of half said forme cylinder circumferential shelllength, an axial length of each said printing blanket being a wholenumber multiple of an axial length of each said printing forme; an axiallength of each said printing blanket opening and being equal to saidaxial length of each said printing blanket, said printing blanketopenings of adjacent ones of said transfer cylinder openings beingoffset from each other by 90° in said circumferential shell, ones ofsaid printing blanket openings spaced apart by alternating ones of saidtransfer cylinder sections without said printing blanket openings beingaligned; and an axial length of each said printing forme opening andbeing equal to said axial length of each said printing forme, said formecylinder openings of adjacent ones of said forme cylinder openings beingoffset by 90° from each other in said circumferential shell, ones ofsaid printing forme openings spaced apart by alternating ones of saidforme cylinder sections, without said printing forme openings beingaligned.
 42. The cylinder pair of claim 41 wherein said forme cylinderincludes at least five said forme cylinder sections, said printing formeopenings of adjacent outer ones of said sections being aligned at afirst end of said forme cylinder with said printing forme openings ofadjacent outer ones of said sections at a second end of said formecylinder, said printing forme openings of a central one of said sectionsbeing offset by 90° in said circumferential shell from said adjacentouter section printing forme openings.
 43. The cylinder pair of claim 41wherein said transfer cylinder printing blankets are offset from eachother on adjacent ones of said transfer cylinder sections and whereinprinting formes on a cooperating one of said forme cylinder othersections are offset on said forme cylinder circumferential shell fromsaid printing blanket.
 44. A cylinder pair of a printing group of arotary offset printing press comprising: a forme cylinder having a formecylinder axial length in an axial direction of said forme cylinder and aforme cylinder circumferential shell having a forme cylindercircumferential length, said forme cylinder being divided along saidforme cylinder axial length into a plurality of forme cylinder sections;a transfer cylinder having a transfer cylinder axial length in an axialdirection of said transfer cylinder and a transfer cylindercircumferential shell having a transfer cylinder circumferential length,said transfer cylinder being divided along said transfer cylinder axiallength into a plurality of transfer cylinder sections; at least oneprinting forme on each of said forme cylinder sections; at least oneprinting blanket on each of said blanket cylinder sections; a pluralityof axially extending grooves beneath said shell surfaces of said formecylinder and said blanket cylinder; a least one printing forme endreceiving opening for each said printing forme on said forme cylindershell and terminating in one of said forme cylinder grooves; at leastone printing blanket end receiving opening for each said printingblanket on said transfer cylinder shell and terminating in one of saidblanket cylinder grooves, at least one of said forme cylinder openingsrolling off on one of said transfer cylinder openings, all of said formecylinder openings following each other in said axial direction of saidforme cylinder being aligned; at least three said printing blanketsaligned side by side axially on said transfer cylinder in said transfercylinder axial direction, each said printing blanket having acircumferential length of said transfer cylinder circumferential shell;an axial length of each said printing blanket opening and being equal tosaid axial length of each said printing blanket, said printing blanketopenings of adjacent ones of said transfer cylinder sections beingoffset from each other by 180° in said circumferential shell; a numberof said printing formes aligned axially on said forme cylinder and atleast equal to said number of printing blankets aligned axially on saidblanket cylinder, each said printing forme having a circumferentiallength of half said forme cylinder circumferential shell length, anaxial length of each said printing blanket being a whole number multipleof an axial length of each said printing forme; and an axial length ofeach said printing blanket opening and being equal to a section width ofsaid blanket cylinder, ones of said blanket openings spaced apart byalternating ones of said transfer sections being aligned in said axialdirection of said transfer cylinder.
 45. The cylinder pair of claim 44wherein a width of a printing blanket is twice a width of a printingforme.
 46. The cylinder pair of claim 44 wherein each said printingforme is of equal width.
 47. The cylinder pair of claim 44 wherein eachof said printing blankets is of equal width.
 48. The cylinder pair ofclaim 44 further including a dimensionally stable support plate for eachsaid printing blanket.
 49. The cylinder pair of claim 44 wherein atleast one of said axially extending grooves is a blind bore open at anend of a respective one of said forme cylinder and said transfercylinder.
 50. The cylinder pair of claim 44 wherein each said axiallyextending groove is a blind bore open at an end of a respective one ofsaid forme cylinder and said transfer cylinder.
 51. The cylinder pair ofclaim 44 further including at least one holding device in each saidaxially extending groove and located beneath one of said shell openings.52. The cylinder pair of claim 44 further including a filler element insaid axially extending grooves not located beneath one of said shellopenings.
 53. The cylinder pair of claim 44 further including acounter-pressure cylinder in contact with said transfer cylinder. 54.The cylinder pair of claim 53 wherein said counter-pressure cylinder hasa closed shell.
 55. The cylinder pair of claim 53 further including foursaid cylinder pairs and arranged around said counter-pressure cylinderand forming a nine-cylinder printing group.
 56. A cylinder of a printinggroup of a rotary offset printing press comprising: a cylinder shellhaving a circumferential length and an axial length divided into aplurality of axially adjacent cylinder sections, each said sectionhaving a section axial width; at least one dressing on each said sectionand covering said section axial width; cylinder grooves underneath saidcylinder shell and extending in said cylinder axial direction; dressingend receiving openings in said shell and terminating in said grooves,each said opening adapted to receive ends of a dressing; at least threesaid dressings covering said cylinder shell in said axial lengtharranged side-by-side and at least one dressing covering saidcircumferential length; openings in said section adjoining each other insaid axial length being offset in said circumferential length, openingsin said sections spaced from each other by a closed section beingaligned; a holding device in each said groove and having selectively anopen position and a closed position, each said holding device in saidclosed position being adapted to hold at least one of said dressingends, means positioning said holding devices in each of said openingsaligned with each other in one of said open position and said closedposition independently; and a counter-pressure cylinder supporting saidcylinder and having a closed shell.
 57. The cylinder of claim 56 whereineach said dressing has a width, each said opening having an openingwidth in said cylinder axial length and corresponding to at least saiddressing width.
 58. The cylinder of claim 56 further including a remotecontrol for changing each said holding device between said open positionand said closed position.
 59. The cylinder of claim 56 further includingpneumatic means for actuating each said holding device.
 60. The cylinderof claim 56 further including a hose chargeable with a pressure mediumfor changing each said holding device between said open position andsaid closed position.
 61. A cylinder of a printing group of a rotaryoffset printing press comprising: a cylinder shell having acircumferential length and an axial length divided into a plurality ofaxially adjacent cylinder sections, each said section having a sectionaxial width; at least one dressing on each said section and coveringsaid section axial width; cylinder grooves underneath said cylindershell and extending in said cylinder axial direction; dressing endreceiving openings in said shell and terminating in said grooves, eachsaid opening adapted to receive ends of a dressing; at least three saiddressings covering said cylinder shell in said axial length arrangedside-by-side and at least one dressing covering said circumferentiallength; openings in said section adjoining each other in said axiallength being offset in said circumferential length; at least one of saidcylinder grooves being a blind bore opening at an end face of saidcylinder, said blind bore extending at least underneath one of saidsections which is closed toward said shell.
 62. The cylinder of claim 61wherein said section closed toward said shell is adjacent said sectionat said cylinder end face on which said blind bore is open.
 63. Thecylinder of claim 56 wherein said cylinder is one of a forme cylinderand a transfer cylinder.
 64. The cylinder of claim 56 wherein saidcylinder is a transfer cylinder.
 65. The cylinder pair of claim 44wherein each said opening has a circumferential length of less than 5mm.
 66. The cylinder pair of claim 44 wherein each said cylinder has anaxial length of between 1200 mm and 2400 mm.
 67. The cylinder pair ofclaim 44 wherein each said cylinder has a diameter of between 160 mm and340 mm.
 68. The cylinder pair of claim 44 wherein each said groove isarranged beneath said shell at a distance between 9 mm and 10 mm. 69.The cylinder pair of claim 44 wherein each said groove is a circularbore.
 70. The cylinder pair of claim 69 wherein each said groove has adiameter of between 25 mm and 50 mm.
 71. The cylinder pair of claim 44wherein each said printing forme has at least one print image location.72. The cylinder pair of claim 44 wherein each said printing forme is apanorama printing plate.
 73. The cylinder of claim 56 wherein each saidopening has a circumferential width of less than 5 mm.
 74. The cylinderof claim 56 wherein each said cylinder has an axial length of between1200 mm and 2400 mm.
 75. The cylinder of claim 56 wherein said cylinderhas a diameter of between 160 mm and 340 mm.
 76. The cylinder of claim56 wherein each said groove is arranged beneath said shell at a distancebetween 4 mm and 10 mm.
 77. The cylinder of claim 56 wherein each saidgroove is a circular bore.
 78. The cylinder of claim 77 wherein eachsaid groove has a diameter of between 25 mm and 50 mm.
 79. The cylinderof claim 56 wherein each said dressing has at least one print imagelocation.
 80. The cylinder of claim 56 wherein said dressing is apanorama printing plate.